House Joint Resolution 1, which passed the General Assembly with strong bipartisan support, establishes the Small Restaurant Regulatory Reform Task Force. State Rep. Jeff Spiegelman (R-Townsend, Smyrna, Clayton), in photo, is the lead sponsor of the legislation.
“There is a need for prudent regulation, but we have gone overboard,” Rep. Spiegelman said. “I often hear from people who express frustration over how difficult and expensive it is to open a restaurant in Delaware. It is almost as costly to open a 1,500-square-foot restaurant as it is to open a 5,000-square-foot location. We need to ensure we have a robust restaurant community.”
House Republicans co-sponsoring the initiative include State Reps. Rich Collins, Tim Dukes, Ron Gray, Shannon Morris, Mike Smith, Valerie Jones Giltner, and Lyndon Yearick.
According to the National Restaurant Association, there are more than 2,100 eating and drinking establishments in the First State, employing about 50,000 people.
The 15-member task force will assess the effectiveness of existing state regulations and explore reforms aimed at reducing unnecessary burdens on small restaurants and other businesses operating on-site kitchens.
The task force is expected to issue its findings and recommendations by June 1, 2026.
